Pressure-chamber for removing divers&#39; diseases.



H. STELZNER. v

PRESSURE CHAMBER FOR REMOVl'NG DIVERS DlSEASES..

APPLICATION F lLED MAY 25. 1915.

1,29%,1880 Patented Feb.11,1919.

W/T/VESSESZ; M/VENTU/f j A FFT@.

HERMANN STELZNER, or LiiBEcK, GERMANY, AssIenon. TO THE FIRM or DRAGER- WEEK, HEINR. & BERNH. DRAGER, or Liinncx, GERMANY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

Application filed May 25, 1915. Serial No. 30,308.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HERMANN STELZNER, a citizen of the German Empire, residing at Liibeck, in the German Empire, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Pressure-Chamber for Removing Divers Diseases, of which the following is a specification.

When a diver comes up quickly from a great depth to the surface of the water the nitrogen taken up by the divers body while under the high pressure of the water at said great depth, is expelled in the form of bubbles. The most deadly divers diseases may be produced by this occurrence, if preventive measures are not taken promptly to counteract the same. Such measures are: immediately again sinking the diver to a certain depth of water or putting him into a steelchamber in which he is Sub ected to an air pressure correspondlng to the pressure exerted by the water at said certain depth.

By this means, that is to say, by bringing the body again under pressure, the gas bubbles will be reabsorbed and rendered harmless. The diver can be protected from the injurious consequences of the above mentioned expulsion of nitrogen bubbles only by pulling him up and out of the Water very slowly or by very slowly decreasing the air pressure in the Steel-chamber in which the diver has been placed.

To sink a diver again is not always possible and convenient, as a heavy sea may be running, or the weather or tide may prevent such measure, or the diving armor may be in disorder, or the diver himself may be injured. It also happens that the major symptoms of the influence of the nitrogen sometimes make their appearance quite sud- 'denly, 0ften after the diving armor has been taken off. In these circumstances it is al most impossible, to dress the diver again in the armor, and ordinarily a steel-chamber which might be used as a pressure-chamber,

.is not present on board ofa divers boat because there is not room enough and the operation of such a, steel-chamber requires expensive devices for producing and circulating the necessary compressed air, in order thatthe said curesmay be continued for about 6 to 10 hours as is necessary.

There is still a third method whereby the formation of bubbles of nitrogen received in the body may be counteracted. This method conslsts in laying the diver on deck fully clothed or armored and forcing air into the cloth or armor by means of a pump,

means of a foldable or collapsible receptacle adapted to be used as a pressure-chamber in which the diver may be treated after being taken ill. To serve this purpose the said receptacle is constructed to inclose the Whole body of the diver like a bag and to allow of a hermetical closing. The said receptacle is moreover provided with the necessary connecting branches and nipples for connection with the devices whereby the receptacle is placed under inner air pressure and the compressed air is regenerated. To

the receptacle are also attached suitable means for indicating and for adjusting the air pressure.

A constructional form of the improved collapsible pressure-chamber made in accordance with and embodying the invention, is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the collapsible pressure-chamber when in use, for treating a diseased diver, and

Fig. 2 is an end view of the head of the said pressure-chamber.

The pressure-chamber consists of a bag- .shaped receptacle a made of strong waterproof or india-rubber cloth, preferably tapering toward its closed or foot-end and adapted to receive and inclose the whole body of a diver. The open or head end of this receptacle in the construction and arrangement shown is provided with a rigid, apertured end member, illustrated best in Fig. 2, which in addition to its other functions is adapted, by resting upon a surface,

to support said open end of the receptacle in an upright position transverse to the major axis thereof, when said receptacle occupies the horizontal position shown in Fig. 1; said and member also carries a rigidcover, for example, a metal plate?) whereby the open end of the receptacle is closed and which at the same time forms the support or-carrier of the fittings necessary for working the said device. The fittings comprise a connecting branch 0 having a cock 0 and adapted to receive one end ofthe flexible tube 6Z communicating with a steel cylinder (Z containing compressed air, a braiibht provided with a blow-off cock cfa pressuregage f, a safety valve'g and two coniiectiiig branches it and '5 for attaching an air regenerating device of well known construction, such as are used, for example, infconnection with smoke protecting helmets or tubeless diving apparatus. p

The improved pressure chamber ma be used as follows: The diseased (liver is put, his feet first, into the open receptacle a. His head is comfortably and so supported that it can be observed through a windowmprovided in the wall of the receptacle a: The latter is then closed air tight or liriiietic'ally by the cover 5, and the .regenerator connected, to the branches h, 11 and the coinpressed air cylinder 03 to the branch 2 2, After this compressed air is passed iiito the receptacle at until the required pressure is obtained which will be indicated by the pressure gagefitoo high a pressure being prevented by the safety valve 9'. The diver within the receptacle is then surrounded by compressed air of the desired predetermined pressure so that his lungs are breathingunder this pressure, While the breathing air current is circulating in a well known man ner through the regenerating device 70 and continuously regenerated by the latter. When the state or condition of the diver permits it, the compressed air is allowed to blow off slowly through the coc'k'e. This decrease of pressure in the receptacle a must be effected stepwise and each succeeding step must last for a longer period of "time than the preceding until the atmospheric pressure is reached and the danger to'the diver thus removed. The saiddecrease (if pressure can be simply and easily-brought about by means of the blow-off cock 6;

The same effect may also be obtained by means of a diverspump conneeted with'the receptacle 04in any suitable manner; With such arrangement fresh external fairis oontinuously pumped or ressed, into the receptacle while the consumed or exhausted air blows off constantly through thesafety valve g, this operation being exactly the same as withan ordinary diving apparatus. The compressed air cylinder 03 and the regenerating device hare then eiitirely dispensecl with.

the diver'c'onies up. "Needless to Say said end iiiembr' for'herihet ioall wire rope, hemp rope cash-am links.

The receptacle .caforming the pressurechamber may be easily and readily folded or collapsed to form a relatively small bundle or packet which can be stowed away arid transpoited'in'asmall box or the like. Every small divers boat can therefore readily take such a pressure ehaiiiber tothe divers working place, so that the sa'riie' always be at handready for'ifiiihediatefuse, yitlliien t at in cases of ais'ease'o'r the indicated typ was of the utiiiost 5 importance to the" pressure treatment as qulc'klyas possible:

1. apparatus fo'lf the kind described comprising a fleXiblefsack-shaped reeeptaeie adaptedto contain-ahuman body for treatment by compressed air and rigid iiieahs attached to said ireceptacle at one end "for supporting said end in an position transverse to the erfaitisofthe receptacle.

2. An apparatus (if thefkihd described comprising a fiefiibl'e saeIisha edreeeptaeIe adapted to contain 'ahiiiiianbody fer treatrnent by compressed air; rigid means atporting said end in an upright pdsitidii transverse m le ma sr axis at the re'eeptaeie,

rigid end meiiibjer coiihected with the open end dread mamasasaaiaaag ueesapport said open endin uprrght'pdsiueh "transverse-w the majc'r ,a X'is or the rece tacle, a rigid cover movably coiineeted with y seaua' said receptacle, andffittin gs ediby aid cover Whereb': said'apparat's *be' operatively utilized. A v

4. An apparatus 6f the kifidf cl'esjfibd comprising aflexible saek:snapeareeptaele having acioseu'afid-an tpen ends-nameplate to cbntai'n a 'hunraii'bo'dy in" its eiitire a rigidend me'inber coiineeted witlttlie pen end of said rec ptacle and ariausme port said open end inan upright pdsiti'on transverse to the nrajonaXis-"o'f the recepp e a g 'ver'movably' massa eara and end "member 'fer hermetically 'sealihg said-receptacle an a rigid fittingineludiiig a window connected with "Said rec ptale through which'the interior thereef is visible.

5. An apparatus or the fkindfdeseiihed comprising a collapsible, sack-shaped receptacle adapted to contain a'hur'nan body and tapering toward its closed end, a rigid utilized and a protective netting surroundend member (ionnegted withdthe open end if ing said receptacle.

said receptac e an arrange to $11 ort t e same, a rigid cover movably conne ed with HERMANN STELZNER' said end member for hermetically sealing Witnesses:

said receptacle, fittings carried by said cover J OHN WULF,

whereby said apparatus may be operatively OTTO OLDENBURG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

